Happy Bastille Day!
“It’s Bastille Day,” Spence says. “Did you get that bottle of Cahors?”
Admin smacks his forehead. That’s a human thing I’m always on the lookout for. Humans are the only creatures who smack their heads, in my experience. Sometimes Bernie smacks the computer the exact same way. That’s all I know about it. “Slipped my mind,” Admin says.
That’s happened to me, too, maybe more than once. But do I smack my head about it? Actually I’m not sure I could.
“Hey!” says Spence. “What’s Chet doing?”
“No idea,” says Admin, but by that time I’d stopped whatever it was, and was sitting up straight, alert and professional.
“Did Marie Antoinette really say, ‘Let them eat cake’?” Spence says.
“Too good to be true,” says Admin. “But if she had, it probably would have been brioche and not gateau, so not cake in the decadent sense.”
Cake? That brought back pleasant memories of Charlie’s last birthday party. Has it been a while since I mentioned Charlie? He’s Bernie’s kid, but we don’t see him much, not since the divorce. But also Leda’s been having some strange ideas, and Marvin Winkleman made things worse. That’s all in To Fetch A Thief. But back to the birthday cake. The funny thing was I found myself alone with it in the kitchen. Just for a moment or two, but it was one of those things that was meant to be. At least I thought so at the time. Brioche is a new one on me. I’ll keep an open mind.
Tags: Bastille Day, Charlie
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 8:48 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
3:57 am on July 14th, 2010
Bonjour!
Je ne parle pas [bien] français.
Dad watched the baseball game for awhile last night, but I fell asleep waiting for a dodger dog.
Melanie – I hope that all is well with you and Dan. You have had quite a spring and summer, poor dear.
I am a little worried a Lexi also. I'm afraid that she is becoming a teenager, and I know from experience that kids don't always check in when they are supposed to.
4:01 am on July 14th, 2010
I wonder what strange ideas Leda is having.
And Chet and Bernie are still standing in the doorway of the strip joint. Better keep your eyes closed, Chet!
I think it was bread, not cake, but I'll betchas that Bee knows the story. She is a brain!
4:02 am on July 14th, 2010
C'est le quatorze juillet. We're the ones who call it Bastille Day.
4:28 am on July 14th, 2010
The story about "Let them eat brioche" was in Rousseau's Confessions, written between 1766 and 1770–before Marie Antoinette became queen.
My dog once ate an entire sour cream coffeecake which was on the counter in a tupperware container that he managed to open. How was the cake Chet?
And how could Admin forget about the Cahors???
4:31 am on July 14th, 2010
I don't like Leda and I can't remember who Marvin Winkleman is.
4:36 am on July 14th, 2010
To clarify: Marie A became queen in 1770 when she was 15. Journalists (and people) who ultimately detested her and blamed her for everything, used that saying from Rousseau's Confessions. Rousseau was writing about a princess whom he did not name but who could not have been Marie A.
4:41 am on July 14th, 2010
Marvin!… Isn’t Marvin Winkleman Leda’s second husband?… snort!… Let us eat Cake!…yeah!… I bet Admin got distracted by the Blog Bug yesterday and forgot all about the fancy wine…heh!
Bastille Day!…. Just another excuse to drink more wine!…snort!
4:53 am on July 14th, 2010
Ha!… I’m laughing so hard trying to imagine what Chet was doing to get both Spencer and Admin’s attention!…heh!
4:55 am on July 14th, 2010
And to think that Wölfie probably knows what that means!
Jealousy, that's what got me down!
Speaking of which, I have to go lie down again.
This is just awful.
5:03 am on July 14th, 2010
Melanie!…. poor sick thing…. snort!… I hope someone is looking after the puppies while Melanie is down… wheeze!…I think Wolfie said he does not speak French very well….cough! … Or something to that effect… heh!
5:22 am on July 14th, 2010
Yes, that's what Wolfie said. Did Leda remarry or is she just living with someone? I couldn't find the name using the Kindle search engine.
Melanie: Please go see a doctor.
5:31 am on July 14th, 2010
Marvin Winkleman is a sad-eyed little guy who owns a ticket agency and hires Chet and Bernie to find out if his wife is cheating on him. Post of April 22, 2010. Now I feel better….
5:33 am on July 14th, 2010
Leda!… I was under the impression that she was remarried…. snort!… I remember a scene where Bernie had to take a check over to their house to pay for Charlie’s school… grunt!… The guy Leda is with now has lots of money because he works in the software industry….wheeze!… I remember thinking how unfair it was that Leda put Charlie in an expensive school and expected Bernie to pay tuition…grunt! … Maybe I made all this up, but it is swirling around in my head clear as fog!…sneeze!
5:36 am on July 14th, 2010
Too much baseball boggles brains. All of that is correct Rio but I thought Leda was living with him and not married. Which book was it in?
5:50 am on July 14th, 2010
Um!… Blank!… I'm pulling a blank!…doh!
5:51 am on July 14th, 2010
Dog On It. His name is Malcolm and Chet calls him "the boy friend."
7:09 am on July 14th, 2010
Since today is le 14 juillet, I'm going to celebrate. That's because I'm a French Poodle. The American Kennel Club says I'm a Standard Poodle, but Mom says I'm a Non-Standard Poodle. I think that means fierce.
I'm going to ask Mom to prepare some special Pâté de Squirrel for me. Oh boy!
7:23 am on July 14th, 2010
Molly!… You better be careful what you say about squirrels!… heh!heh!
7:33 am on July 14th, 2010
Leda!… I hate that name, Leda….snort!… I wonder how Leda and Marvin are connected?… wheeze… Chet said Leda was having strange ideas and Marvin made things worse… grunt!… I guess only Wookie would know the answer to that question if this is indeed in To Fetch a Thief…hmmmphf!
7:49 am on July 14th, 2010
Rio, you will soon have your copy of To Fetch a Thief. Then you and Wookie will know while the rest of us have to wait.
Hopefully you won't taunt us when that time comes.
7:54 am on July 14th, 2010
Heh!… Me taunt you guys?… snort!…The thought never crossed my mind….heh!
7:58 am on July 14th, 2010
Colors!… I wonder what color Wookie is by now… heh!… Isn’t today day the big tie-dye-o’rama?…snort!…I hope someone takes some photos of him…grunt! …A video would be excellent!
8:14 am on July 14th, 2010
Hey Guys (and Dolls), We are back! Family reuniion was fun, but good to be back home. Barb read every word on her Mapquest, so we did not end up in Iowa, or Indiana, or anywhere else except Wisconsin. Great visit, great food, and great weather.
Sorry Melanie is sick. Hope Dan is improving. Did we miss the puppy shower, or was it postponed till Dan gets home?
Got an email ad from Barnes and Noble, and the heading was "Solved the mystery of your next great read. Thought of Bee.
Molypop, I have never tasted Pate de Squrrel, but it sound yummy. Bet it tastes a little like chicken, or bunny!
Mom doesn't like Leda much either. We hope she doesn't drive Suzie away. Hope Bernie doesn't do something dumb, even for Charlie's sake.
8:18 am on July 14th, 2010
Mollypop, you are totally fierce!
8:21 am on July 14th, 2010
MagPie!… I got an email from Barnes and Noble yesterday and it was titled, “Stay Cool With 30% Off Smooth Summer Reads and a Smoothie”….snort!… I was kind enough not to pass this along to Stover though… grunt!
8:28 am on July 14th, 2010
Amazon!… This reminds me, how long should I wait for the Last of the Dixie Heroes to show up before I start emailing the seller again?…grunt!…. I am NEVER EVER going through Amazon again for anything…dammit-to-hell!…snort!
9:44 am on July 14th, 2010
Who the hell is Marvin now? And I THINK that I remember Chet saying that there's this big scene with Leda in To Fetch A Thief, correct me if I am wrong. Wookie! Grr! Lucky you!! 🙁
Sorry guys, but my schedule is tight now, from all these damn vet visits to whatever Mommy and Daddy are going to do with whatever. Aooarently we're going to be loosing A LOT of money in like 2 weeks or so, and they're sorting this all out-plus the vet visits and shots-and things are going VERY crazy. This is probably the only day that I have 'off', but at 3 I'm going to the damn vets again for another shot.
That vet probably has 20 teeth marks in his hand….wonder where that came from….
9:56 am on July 14th, 2010
Lil Lexi!… Back with a flourish!… whoosh!… What the hell’s wrong with you Lexi?…snort!…Why do you have to have so many shots?….nasty!… Are your people buying property, maybe a vacation home, somewhere besides Connecticut? … grunt!…Maybe upstate New York?….cough!… You’re not moving to Hoboken, are you?…. sneeze!… Are you going out of the country Lil Lexi!!!??? … grunt! …That might explain some of those shots….sniff!sniff!
10:34 am on July 14th, 2010
Lil Lexi – what's going on? We were worried about you. What kind of shots?
10:37 am on July 14th, 2010
Jasper – thanks for noticing how fierce I am. Rio should pay more attention.
12:37 pm on July 14th, 2010
Boy am I tired right now (and my mom is too). We made it through the summer camp quilting/dying extravaganza just fine, although Mother Nature did not help at all, as last night's thunderstorms continued into the morning hours, and my mom and dad had to set the work tables up in our back yard in the rain this morning. Fortunately, the rain stopped (more or less) by 10:00 and by early afternoon the sun had even come out. For the most part, the ladies rolled with the punches and were real troopers; I think they wound up having a lot of fun while learning the basics of fabric dying techniques, although my supervision skills were really put to the test at times. Herding quilters is even more challenging than herding cats, especially with fabric dye in the mix. Fortunately, I'm still my same lusterous golden self, as any dyes that spilled did not spill my way. Looks like pizza for dinner tonight, which seems only appropriate on Bastille Day (just kidding). And mum's the word on Marvin Winkleman. Wookie
1:01 pm on July 14th, 2010
"Mum's the word". I wonder if BStover knows where that one came from?
Mummies?
Mummers? Early name for actors
Curious >^..^<
1:30 pm on July 14th, 2010
I don't think Chet knows what he's talking about — humans aren't the only ones who smack their heads. My brother Buford is blind and whenever he walks around he smacks his head on something! He must have the toughest head in the world! Last summer was really hard for him because Mom and Dad got a new kitchen, and for awhile there were cabinets sitting everywhere, and vacuum hoses, and ladders — Mom felt bad for Buford because she said it was like he was in a pinball game — he'd smack his head on something and turn and smack his head on something else.
1:48 pm on July 14th, 2010
Hmmmm:
Marvin Winkleman sounds like a lawyer to me. They always seem to make things worse. Leda probably heard about Chet's last case with the high-profile Princess and thinks Bernie has money. Oh yeah.
Happy Bastille Day to Mollypop. Pate de Fuzzbutt sounds…not too good, actually. Any leftovers you can bring to the puppy shower on Friday.
Staff: Newfoundland mummers are a strange breed. Google them. You see them around Christmas.
Wookie: With your varied talents, I knew you'd be up to the challenge of herding dyeing quilters. Gee, that doesn't sound right.
2:08 pm on July 14th, 2010
Wish we could be there to help Melanie with the pack and the puppies while she recovers.
Lexi checked in, but I don't think Rio will ever get an answer to even one of his questions. To be honest, rather than polite, I have the same questions as Rio.
Happy French day, Molly! We should all celebrate with cake.
No baseball till Friday.
2:14 pm on July 14th, 2010
Melanie: It seems like whenever there's trouble, more trouble follows. I hope you and Dan are both recovering nicely, and that this will be the end of your troubles!
Wookie: It sounds like your mom and my grandma would get along quite well. She's a quilter in Washington, and has had quilting retreats at her house. Unfortunately, however, she doesn't have anyone like you to keep those quilters in line! From what I understand, sometimes they get quite boistrous!
2:25 pm on July 14th, 2010
Rio, Tell your best friend that the New Mexico green chili crop is going to be less abundant this year and harvested later than usual. It is something about a cooler than normal spring and then a heat wave. I am sure it will translate into higher prices.
2:54 pm on July 14th, 2010
SiberH!… I’m not telling her – you tell her!…yikes!…She’s going to be pissed off big time… gulp!… “What the Hell!? Those Chilies are already too damned expensive!”…. grunt!… I can hear it all now….snorkel!
Quilters!… I’ve never seen a writers blog so full of official Quilters and Sewing Machine fanatics in all my live long life… snort!… Chet has not once mentioned a quilt in any of his stories so far and yet seemingly out of the woodwork he has quilters as some of his biggest fans….wheeze! … Go figure.
3:02 pm on July 14th, 2010
Quilts!… Now you’ve got me going!…. snort!… Here is a very presumptuous idea….cough!… Wouldn’t it be grand if all you quilt makers and sewers made a special Blog Quilt for Chet, Bernie, Spencer and The Charming Mr. Abrahams? … grunt!…I have no idea how you would accomplish such a task, but pieces and parts could be sent to AbbieTheKats new PO Box and Staff could put them all together on her very old sewing machine…heh!… Like I said this is a very PRESUMPTUOUS idea… grunt!…And all of us who have no talent in that area could sit back and watch as the whole thing comes together and remark on the quality… snort!… I would volunteer to be an Official Tester!…heh!
Shoot-down!…Feel free to shoot this wonderful idea down and to pieces if you must…heh!
3:04 pm on July 14th, 2010
Maybe we need to make Chet a virtual quilt? It would have to have stars in it because he is one..then maybe they'd have to be wonky because his ears don't exactly match then…oooooo! Fun! Fun! Fun! Abbie what do you think?
3:08 pm on July 14th, 2010
OH!OH!… Those of us with no talent could send small personal objects that could be sewn onto the quilt…snort!…I’m sure with this talented group our names could be sewn into the quilt beside our small objects… grunt!… Then we could all participate even if we are talentless…snuff!… What do you think of that???
3:10 pm on July 14th, 2010
Virtual!… No way!… snort!… I want those guys to have something they can hold, feel and see and be reminded of us!…grunt!…Virtual my ass…sniff!
3:10 pm on July 14th, 2010
Hey!… I just got an idea for my personal object!…heh!
3:46 pm on July 14th, 2010
Wow, Rio, more than half an hour since your last post. I think everyone is speculating (or afraid to speculate) on what your "personal object" could be!
3:49 pm on July 14th, 2010
Well!… This is maybe a very large project… snort!… Please do not feel bad if it is not doable at all!…grunt!…Just one of my wacky ideas!…heh! … I don’t want to scare anyone away! …sniff!sniff!
4:05 pm on July 14th, 2010
On a very good day, mom can sew on a button. That's it. She has never owned a sewing machine in her life and wouldn't know what to do with it if she had one. She hates sewing, but admires the finished product of those that can sew.
Put my mom in the no talent group.
4:11 pm on July 14th, 2010
Okay! Okay!….We have 2 No-Talents able and ready for the project!…snort! ..heh!
4:12 pm on July 14th, 2010
Don't look at me. I flunked sewing in high school.
4:18 pm on July 14th, 2010
We now have 3 no talents.
4:39 pm on July 14th, 2010
Hmmm!… I think all the talented ones are hiding because they are the ones who really know how much work making a quilt is… snort!…Come out! Come out! Wherever you are!!…..wheeze!
4:42 pm on July 14th, 2010
Kirby!…Go ahead and volunteer your grandma!…yes!!
4:52 pm on July 14th, 2010
Mom will kill me for sure, but she sews clothes. She has taken classes on couture techniques from some guys named Chanel and Armani and stuff.
I'm sure she can help. And, BTW Mom, I need 30 cupcakes for doggie day care tomorrow morning.
4:56 pm on July 14th, 2010
Now!…We have 3 No-Talents, 1 Couture seamstress, and maybe Grandma The Quilter….heh! …This could happen with a little more effort!…snort!…The night is young…sniff!
4:59 pm on July 14th, 2010
HA!…Doggie Day Care!… snort!…Hey, you guys get cupcakes???…How come I’m not in a Doggie Day Care program???… cheapskate!
5:16 pm on July 14th, 2010
If Molly's mom has taken those sewing classes, quilting would be a piece of cake for her, or in this case, cupcakes.
5:21 pm on July 14th, 2010
SiberH!…HA!…Good one ole buddy!…snort!…I feel my influence rubbing off on you in a good way!…snicker! …I've got to go piss on some potted plants next door right now!..heh!
5:33 pm on July 14th, 2010
Hey! I don't know what the hell the shots are!! They're just getting stuck into my butt, dammit! Sorry…phew…
No, we are not moving, Rio. But something is going on.
Any other questions?
5:48 pm on July 14th, 2010
Lil Lexi!… I think you are going on vacation and don’t even know it yet!…heh!…Your are going to be a world traveler… snort!… Or the bad news is you will be kenneled for up to a month… grunt!… And probably catch kennel cough and die at an early age, say five… wheeze!… Keep your tiny ears open at all times and find out what they are up to!…cough!…Your life could change dramatically without notice unless you notice what’s going on!… sneeze!… Pretend you are on a very important Mission for the Blog Team… heh! ….Fact finding is essential…snort!… Oh and do you sew or quilt?
5:53 pm on July 14th, 2010
I think Rio just gave us a name, "Blog Team". That's simple. I like it.
5:58 pm on July 14th, 2010
Siber-H, I like that name.
My Mom couldn't sew on a button to save her life. She's hopeless.
6:00 pm on July 14th, 2010
Stover!…Where the heck is Stover today!…snort!… The very last thing she said was, “Dog On It. His name is Malcolm and Chet calls him ‘the boy friend.’”… wheeze!… I hope something dastardly hasn’t happened to her…sniff!sniff!… She usually turns up in the afternoon and evenings until things get to Wacky Quacky…heh!…But she has been definitely missing since 10:51 EST this morning… sob!…Stover come home!…Sob!
6:03 pm on July 14th, 2010
Sam!…Does this mean you are “In” as a No-Talent-Personal-Object-Only sort of team member?… snort!
6:03 pm on July 14th, 2010
Lexi, If you find out that you are going on vacation or to a pet resort while your family goes on vacation, let us know so we won't worry about you.
Don't let them send you to a pet resort that doesn't require all the dogs to have the kennel cough vaccine. It's not a shot. It's up your nose. Rio, tactful dude that he is, already mentioned kennel cough.
6:05 pm on July 14th, 2010
We now have 4 no talents. My mom is certainly feeling better about being a no talent.
6:06 pm on July 14th, 2010
Well!… It would be a change from ‘In the Butt’ for her… heh!heh!…Poor Lil Lexi!…snicker!
6:15 pm on July 14th, 2010
I bet the shots hurt a little dog more than a bigger dog. I have no science to base that statement on.
Me too, I'm worried about Stover. She is smart enough to let us know if she is going to be away, because she knows we get worried.
6:17 pm on July 14th, 2010
I think the talents are in hiding, Rio.
6:29 pm on July 14th, 2010
Yikes!
I sure hope Melanie is feeling better by Friday. We're talking party here. I've ordered the food and it will be delivered ready or not. I'm not that discriminating and I was starving when I did the ordering so…we will have enough food. If we have to cancel maybe I can freeze some of it. We've got:
Lickety split doggie ice cream (wheat free)
Lick n Crunch – dipped in carob
Muttaroons – oats, coconut, peanuts, honey, dipped in carob
Pawlines – wheat free)
Pet it Fours – vanilla and carob
Pupcakes – peanut and carob (wheat free)
Pup tarts
Puppermint
Snickerpoodles
Fetch it! sticks made with cheese
Gracie's Rollovers
salmon and cheese bon bons
Doggielicious sampler platters
Mini pizza treats
Let's Pawty Cakes
and Homemade Liver, Chicken or Moose Cheesecakes
I had to re-mortgage the igloo but you guys are worth it.
6:35 pm on July 14th, 2010
SiberH!…Lets give the plan some time to simmer and stew in the minds of the Talented…snort!… Maybe something fun will come out of it!…snort!… I personally think it is a wonderful and thoughtful idea…grunt! …A way to show off our creativity and to give back to our favorite Author(s)….heh! …But it is a lot of work. I will volunteer to coordinate the project! Deadline being Sept. 28th!…grunt!… Or Christmas! Whichever is easier…heh!
6:35 pm on July 14th, 2010
Dawson is my hero!!! You can trust me on this…there won't be any leftovers. Unlike you humans, the nation within a nation wastes nothing and has no worries about gaining a pound.
Oh boy, salmon bon bons.
6:37 pm on July 14th, 2010
Dawson!… You forgot Beer-Here!…heh!…She has talent in the Food-Ordering business…snort! Wow!
6:40 pm on July 14th, 2010
Good idea, Rio. We can all think about it…the talented ones can think about it.
Good Night Friends! I am falling asleep.
I hope Melanie is feeling better soon. I don't think she had a lot of reserves left to fight this bug, so it will take time.
6:43 pm on July 14th, 2010
Now as I remember:
Wookie is the Master of Ceremonies
Gus and Boo are bringing appetizers
Rio has the party favors (Ka pow!)
Siber H: I ordered the ice cream in case you didn't find a recipe.
Stover is bringing pies
Staff was gonna do the quilts but she's too late.
Lexi and Megan were on games but they are a bit busy right now.
Wolfie is bringing gift bags with pink or blue bows (make those bags large Wolfie because I ordered a few more snacks to put in)
and 2 cases of chicken jerky.
There's a few who haven't signed up for anything but there's still time and no pressure – the main thing is to bring yourselves and welcome these wonderful Newfoundland puppies to the world.
6:46 pm on July 14th, 2010
Oh yeah.
Somebody must bring the beer!
I heard a rumor that Spence was gonna send a bottle of Cahors wine.
6:50 pm on July 14th, 2010
One!… One lousy bottle of Cahors Black? Well Stover and Spencer (sitting in a tree…) will down that in no time!…heh!… We need way more Beer and some more wine…snort!
Time!… What time do we all meet and greet for this party on Saturday??? …snort!… Crucial question that has not been discussed yet…heh! … I will try to find time to re-design my party favors… wheeze!
6:59 pm on July 14th, 2010
Oh oh Here we go again.
I thought the party was Friday the 16th.
7:08 pm on July 14th, 2010
16th!….I can’t be there like I would like to be on the 16th…. snort!….The party would be better served on a Saturday…snort!… I have things to do on Fridays! … None I need to tell you all about… grunt! …Just let me know, you party planners, you!…heh!… I will do my best whichever day is chosen…(for the puppies and Melanie and family!)…grunt!
Goodnight All!… sleepy time!… snort!… Please do not let the Bed Bugs Bite!…heh!…We hate those guys…sniff!…Goodnight Stover, wherever you are….sob!… I miss you!…snorkel!
7:11 pm on July 14th, 2010
Alaskan Salmon and shredded parmesan cheese bonbons baked to lip-licking perfection. Sure to please. Those sounded real good to me too. I better order a few more of those because the cats will want some too.
I was thinking mid afternoon until the beer and food run out.
Need Melanie to give the final okay on date and time.
7:28 pm on July 14th, 2010
Well I have to step in here and say you no talents have to put up a quilt block each 'cause I am not sewing any 'object' onto a quilt. Heh.
Now I am ready and willing to accept quilt blocks and assemble them and even find some backing that might be dog related, but no way am I doing this without blocks from all you regulars.
You seem to think that you have to sew to make a quilt block. Not true. You can cut a square of fabric, write you name on it in indelible ink and call it a block. It won't look like you sewed it, but it will look fine if someone who can sew puts a border on it.
In fact I have a perfect block for those who can sew…check here.. http://www.stargazey.com/products.php?cat=186
This is the pattern I used for this wall quilt.
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1279167468-3dogs.jpg[/img]
I am thinking we don't want a gigantic quilt here. Maybe a wall quilt for Spence to put up over his desk so he can brood about it when he needs to come up with a blog post.
Those of you with computer talent can print out something onto treated paperbacked fabric sheets that you can buy at most quilt shops.
So, You guys just think about that for a while.
What do you think Wookie? I think it is doable. We would have to decide the size of the blocks and give all these no-talents some time.
(Dawson is not kidding. She could not start a sewing machine without making a big nest of thread on the underside of the fabric. An amazing talent that I still remember)
Staff
7:31 pm on July 14th, 2010
Well it is late again and I am going to find my bed.
It will be interesting to see what Rio has cooked up again in the morning. That pug brain never quilts…er quits.
>^..^<
11:11 pm on July 14th, 2010
SiberH!… We No-Talents seem to be the Majority around here…heh!… Talent is way over-rated sometimes… don’t ya think?… snort!
Except!…For now!..We need some talented Quilt makers to step forward! …snort!… To burden themselves with loads of extra work and tons of annoying emails from me and other No-Talent pests…heh!